For most Raz Simone fans this will be the track they’ve been waiting for from his upcoming album Cognitive Dissonance: Part II set to drop on January 28th, 2015. Slow leaking each track as an episode either with just audio or with video accompaniment, “Shoes On” is the 10th offering, and in many ways the strongest yet. Simone’s connection to 300 Entertainment, the brain child of industry giants Lyor Cohen, Roger Gold, Kevin Liles, and Todd Moscowitz, will certainly put pressure on Raz and his camp when pushing out the sequel to his stellar first album, but in personal correspondence with Daily Chiefers the Seattle rapper is confidant in his ability to hold on to creative control and give his fans the next phase of his potential-filled career. The self-produced “Shoes On” with Jake Crocker features live guitar from Brian “Warmgun” Chin, and taps into a next level approach to Raz’s signature sound. Poetic delivery, filled with harmonizations on emphatic bars, and an ease into the textured instrumental that mixes conga, clean bass and sharp snare. “It’s all me, what’s a fucking team” is relatable to anyone that knows the grind, and the powerful, “we out here grinding…chopping and rocking, and dodging the cops on the block again, copping and blocking and dodgin’ and rockin’ and choppin niggas.” Prepare for a few repeat plays to catch it all. ROLL UP.
